Windmills In Sicily Photo

Photographer’s Note

The coastal area near Trapani came to be exploited back in the time of the Phoenicians who, realizing the extremely favourable conditions available, set about building basins in which to collect salt: this valuable commodity they then exported all over the Mediterranean.

So this otherwise barren stretch of land came to be systematically worked: from the shallow water, the searing temperatures and arid winds (which also facilitates evaporation, of course) was born a tough, but beneficial industry to produce the precious element, so vital to the survival of man.

One of the foremost and fundamental properties of salt is its ability to preserve food, a quality with which the earliest peoples were familiar, using it to treat perishables for the lean winter months or simply during transportation.

After the Phoenicians, however, there are no reliable references to the salt pans around Trapani until the Norman era when Her Majesty the Emperor Frederick Il himself alludes to them in the Constitutions of Menfi, making them a crown monopoly. From this date on, the rise in status of the port of Trapani may be tracked fairly easily.

The economic success of the saltpans, meanwhile, show that major fluctuations in output shadowed the rise and fall in fortunes of the territory as it succumbed to various external events beyond its control. War, epidemic, transitions of government from one dominion to another influenced the production and trading of salt just as it would any other field.

On the whole, the area was profitable, as was the commercial activity itself, and that is why it has continued, albeit with fits and starts, until the present day.

Large, slow windmills are used as the energy source in the completely environment-safe work cycle of salt harvesting, not so much a concession to modern-time concerns, as simply the way things have always been done on these salt pans.

It's possible to stroll along the magical "Via del Sale" with its imposing mountains of rock salt rising up against the background of the azure sea, visiting a few active saline and their characteristic windmills.

The windmill comprises a conical building, capped with a conical roof, and six trapezoid vanes consisting of cloth sails attached to wooden frames that catch the wind and propel a system of mechanical gears. Inside the building, a complex system of interconnected cogs and wheels, shafts and stays allow the circular roof (and, hence, the sails) to be orientated according to the direction of the wind and so exploit the natural resource to grind the salt (as in this case) or to pump water (if the windmill is situated between two pans). Should the mill be required to pump water, the gearing is harnessed to an Archimedes’ screw.
The sails can rotate at a speed of 20km per hour and generate a power equivalent to 120 horsepower.

Please see the ws for another view.

lilimih33, stelli, giorgimer, azaf1, grigand, kdialyna, Longroute, asajernigan, amaryllis, syd1946, Tue, ifanik, snunney, Floydian, jjcordier, papagolf21, KLB, Guenther, bostankorkulugu, macondo, carper, Silvio1953, miumiu, mursaloglu, saxo042, dip, evanrizo, emjleclercq, photovolos, COSTANTINO, dareco, plimrn, adores, argycon trouve(nt) cette note utile

Critiques | Translate

Silvio1953 (42331) 2008-02-10 0:40

Ciao Stella, non sapevo che ci fossero i mulini a vento anche in Sicilia, bella foto con magnifici colori e splendidi riflessi, brava, ti auguro una buona Domenica, ciao Silvio

carper (65264) 2008-02-10 0:43

It's a nice one Stella,
the mill in the middle I am not sure about this but thats personal, the light is good and I love that reflection, very nice photojob to look at, good one Stella.
have a good sunday.
gr. jaap

macondo (13193) 2008-02-10 1:10

Hello Stella.
Wonderful shot. The exposure is stunning, and the reflection broken by the parallel low brick walls is marvellous. A superb composition. The colours are lovely and rich. Perhaps I would prefer the windmill to be a little to the right instead of in the centre. But it's a very pleasing photo. Well done and thanks for your interesting note.
Regards,
Andrew

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bostankorkulugu (33776) 2008-02-10 1:15

i havent seen these mills before... the style looks like a combination og the spanish and greek mills... and this is a beautiful shot stella, with the reflections on the water and the warm light... complimenti...

korkut

Guenther (6853) 2008-02-10 1:29

Ciao Stella,
non sapevo che i mulini a vento fossero tuttora in funzione, nota molto interessante.
Mi piace molto la tua composizione con la riflessione tagliata dai muri divisori; bellissima luce.

Buona domenica
Guenther

papagolf21 (56483) 2008-02-10 1:29

Bonjour, ma bonne amie Stella,
Un grand merci pour cette très belle prise de vue (j'ai regardé avec beaucoup d'intérêt également celle présentée en atelier).
La mise en image donne un effet spectaculaire sur le spectateur.
L'intérêt de la note est manifeste.
Amitiés.
Très bonne journée.
Philippe

KLB (18163) 2008-02-10 1:34

Hello Stella

That's a wonderful composition.
The borders give depth to your image and lead the eyes to this stunning windmill.
The light is beautiful, and the warm colors enhances the texture.
Marvelous reflection too, well framed.
Thanks for sharing and for your very complete note.

Regards,
Karine

dorte_s_t (2285) 2008-02-10 1:34

Hi Stella .
A great shot with warm colours and a lot of texture !
Perfect composition,reflections. depth and clarity !
This is a beautiful place !
My compliments !!
Kindest regards
Dorte.

Valerka (8159) 2008-02-10 1:41

Ciao, Stella,
A gorgeous shot with lovely composed image. The light is very nice, too.
TFS
Stay well.
Valerka:)

gildasjan (23969) 2008-02-10 1:44

Bonjour Stella
Toujours très photogéniques les moulins à vent.Ici une jolie composition sous cette belle lumière et ce reflet qui embellit le cliché.Bravo et bonne journée.
Amicalement
Gildas

mesutilgim (37054) 2008-02-10 1:56

Hi dear Stella,
Wonderfull capture with great pov.
Great reflections, nice warm colors and perfect notes.
TFS and have a nice weekend
Best regards
MESUT ILGIM

vincz (19043) 2008-02-10 2:04

Beautiful colours, superb reflections. I love the composition with the various separation walls on the water. Excellent one.

jjcordier (25004) 2008-02-10 2:07

Stella
Belle composition sous cette très belle lumière. Le moulin et ses reflets constituent un ensemble très photogénique.
Amicalement
JJ

Floydian (30970) 2008-02-10 2:14

Hello Stella,
You have show this mill before with those great lines in front, but here it are the deep rich contrasting colours what got my attention. Really great in the composition and the way you present it is very good, i like it a lot.
Regards, Henk

jonathan_hart (22580) 2008-02-10 2:18

beautiful :)
good light and colours, nice reflection, excellent POV
this mill is so cute, beautiful place, interesting photo
regards
jo

ARGI (3418) 2008-02-10 2:23

Workshop and actual image are two completly diggerent pictures. I like both. The detailed one is more attractive and I'm glad you choosed it for post. Wonderful colors and exce;;ent POV. Details and reflactions are sharp and clear. An amazing work Meltemaki
Filika Argy

snunney (35150) 2008-02-10 3:17

Hello Stella,
A magnificent capture of this beautiful windmill (one of my favourite subjects). The vertical format is perfect for the composition and puts due emphasis on the lovely reflections. Super light, colours and clarity.

ifanik (20542) 2008-02-10 3:47

Very beautiful stella
Very nice composition with wonderful colours and POV
I like the reflections too
Very well done my friend
Best regards
Nick

Bruno40 (6442) 2008-02-10 3:54

Hi Stella,
I have seen this before, but this one is also very beautiful. Nice contrasting colours.
Well done
Jorge

Tue (25608) 2008-02-10 4:00

Hi Stella,
I like this photo of the old windmill very much, because of the lovely warm light and the reflections in the water. The mill is well placed and integrated in the landscape. Apart from the reflection, the paths through the water add also interest to the foreground. Thanks for sharing!
Regards,
Lars

syd1946 (17937) 2008-02-10 4:04

Hello Stella,
What a wonderful image you composed here.There is not only the the windmill well placed into the frame.The reflections in between the basins and the very attractive and vivid colors add much more beauty.Thanks for note,very informative for a complete presentation...
Regards,
Thomas

amaryllis (17573) 2008-02-10 5:55

bonjour
très belle composition de ce moulin et cadrage également et de belles couleurs et réflections
juliette

asajernigan (14236) 2008-02-10 7:19

Stella,
The lighting and colors are great here. The reflection adds nice depth and balance to the shot. The stone walls in the water create nice lines and angles throughout the shot. I like you composition with the addition of all the above mentioned details. The vertical format worked well here!
TFS,
Asa

grigand (12702) 2008-02-10 10:11

Ciao Stella,
Ricordo di averne visto uno ma in condizioni pietose, questo è semplicemente fantastico, magnifico il riflesso e i colori, un gran scatto.
ciao
andrea

TopGeo (21987) 2008-02-10 10:16

Hello Stella!Good picture with a composition that I love also for the tiema and for the way of photographing! I will want him to have in my collection with theme"symmetry"! I praise in and greetings
Georgios

gracious (20017) 2008-02-10 11:02

Ciao Stella,
A great shot with excellent exposure and focus in it!
perfect sharpness, awesome colour and details to view and enjoy
pleasant presentation to share
ciao
Tony

Budapestman (42424) 2008-02-10 11:24

Hi Stella,
Picturesque atmosphere, I like the beautiful reflection and the splendid vertical composition, details are very attractive. Great! Have a nice evening
George

manada (6237) 2008-02-10 11:46

Bravissima Stella bello il riflesso,
ma soprattutto ottima immagine con colori e dettagli eccellenti.
Ti seguo da tanto e anch'io noto tue performances notevoli da un pò di tempo a questa parte.
Un caro saluto
Freddy

hatti52 (12654) 2008-02-10 11:49

Ciao Stella,
wonderful shot
beautiful and saturated colours,sharpness and nice reflections
regards

giorgimer (21322) 2008-02-10 12:51

Ciao Stella,

mi stai facendo venire una grande nostalgia del mio bellissimo viaggio estivo. Bello scatto, mi piace il modo in cui i bordi delle saline dividono il riflesso.

Brava!

Gio

stelli (2959) 2008-02-10 13:05

Wonderful composition and beautiful landscape! I love the workshop too! You should post it as a different photo. Thank you for sharing! Regards Stella

lilimih33 (9874) 2008-02-10 17:23

Hello Stella!
Nice colours and very good light in your picture!
Lovely reflexion and good point of view!
Best regards!
Lili

saxo042 (16000) 2008-02-11 0:51

Hi Stella,
Strong and good colours. The reflection is very good; you really get the impression of a fast moving wheel from this. The WS is also very fine.
Greetings from Gothenburg
Gunnar

Nicou (45295) 2008-02-11 1:15

hello Stella,

Ce vieux moulin est fantastique, surtout comme il est présenté, avec ces couleurs douces, ces reflet, ces digues jaune, de toute beauté, une très belle compo.

Bravo et amitiés

Nicou

azaf1 (15547) 2008-02-11 1:16

Stella,
This is really stunning! Such a great reflection, in an excellent frame and most vivid colors
TFS
Argiris

batalay (21086) 2008-02-11 4:08

Hello Stella,

I remember your older post of the windmills at Trapani. This complements that photograph very nicely, in fact, I like this one better, with the diagonal line made by the hills in the background. The note also is very interesting, the idea of generating 120 horsepower, I think, close to 90 kw. The view must be extraordinary, when the sails are spinning. If you've ever been to Palm Springs, about two hours east of Los Angeles, there are several thousand modern wind mills in a valley spreading many miles. When they are in motion, it is the most spectacular vision. I took some videotapes there, since 35-mm still photography can never catch the atmosphere.

Warm regards and have a good week,

Bulent

mursaloglu (5166) 2008-02-11 4:50

Carissima Stella
Purtroppo essendo fuori citta per il weekend solamente oggi incontro con questa tua foto affascinante e dorata. La gente o che ha detto tutto si vede per questa fantastica opera tua cio che mi rimane di aggiungerli che una foto formidabile e grande gioco colore - luce delle linee parallele grafiche e una compozisione eccellente. Bravo complimenti e applausi ihsan

gneufeld (15223) 2008-02-11 9:04

Hi Stella,
Haven't noticed your gallery before for some reason, but this image is stunning. I really like the deep rich colors and of course the windmill and reflections are superb. Well seen and presented. TFS. Gerald

miumiu (3866) 2008-02-11 11:33

Hello Stella!
Very beautiful mill and point of view! l like it and note is very useful! Workshop is excellent too!
Greetings
Agnes

yedirenk (7463) 2008-02-11 11:47

Ciao Stella,Excellent composition and colors.like a painting.well done.

PixelTerror (86438) 2008-02-11 12:19

Ciao Stella,
A windmill in the saltpans, amazing subject you spotted well, this is a photo that has a lot of potential, the subject as I said but also the light that is superb, however I find you have added too much contrast and it becomes aggressive, also the sky is noisy and shows artefacts, probably coming from too much PP or compression or combination of both. But these are added things you can rework, the photo you started with is excellent.
Have a nice evening JY

ekinokswest (2974) 2008-02-11 14:01

Stella
the reflection is good too but there are many details that contribute to success of this photo.the colors the old rock shape building in front of the windmill and the mountain seems very clear despite long distance. Nice capture.

vinicio (22420) 2008-02-11 14:06

Fa strano vedere un mulino a vento che si pensa sia di altre origini e culture in Sicilia, ma sapevo della loro esistenza. La foto e la nota sono ottime Stella, complimenti, in particolare l'intricato gioco del riflesso e i colori sono splendidi, molto brava.
Ciao
Vinicio

Greg1949 (8511) 2008-02-11 14:42

Great reflection Stella, super composition.

Greg

testmaniac (12254) 2008-02-12 2:53

Hello Stella, nice shot with good composition,reflections and colors. Cool Windmill!

TFS and regards,
Philip

kdialyna (3068) 2008-02-12 9:05

Wonderful light, warm colors, perfect use of the existing lines.
Bravo Stella! a very nice place that your sensitive eye saw and your camera's lens changed it to an amazing photo.
Dear Stella, I thing your photo collection that little by little you present to us is a real treasure and not only.
The other thing that I like very much are the notes which always accompany your presentations.
Very informative and very poetic at the same moment.
Best regards
Kostas

dip (12714) 2008-02-13 9:37

Ciao Stella,
Wonderful composition,great POV,amazing colors and reflections,informative note too,
very well done!
Greetings,
Dimitris.

evanrizo (456) 2008-02-14 4:08

Ciao Stella, I think the wind mill looks like in Holland.
You used a clever point to give this great perspective and to compose it with the great water layers and reflections.
The clearness, contrast and sharpness are excellent.
Have a nice afternoon.
Evangelos

emjleclercq (14400) 2008-02-15 0:26

A beautifull windmill nicely reflecting in the drying basins, and a very good intructive note. Very good colors and excellent looking of the water surface.

All the best,

Emmanuel

photovolos (931) 2008-02-27 10:47

Hi Stella.Like a old cart postal!So wonderful
image...warm light, beautiful colours,nise reflection!!!Bravisimo
Yiannis

COSTANTINO (22976) 2008-03-03 8:44

Ciao Stella,
uo bel mulino tradizionale di Sicilia,con ottimi colori e splendidi riflesi,
Complimenti,
cari saluti,
Costantino

dareco (17104) 2008-03-09 18:20

An exceptional picture! Beautiful colors and reflection. A very pretty scene. I love the windmill!! TFS

Juntas (3414) 2008-03-18 18:35

HI. Windmills are one of my favourite subjects and this is one is very nice. Good colors and reflection. Paulo

kiks (6139) 2008-03-20 3:52

Hi Stella, beautiful composition you catch here. The lines and colors are amazing. Althoug the windmill is centerd i think that it is a good balanced composition.
TFS
KIKs

plimrn (19688) 2008-03-22 15:31

Hi Stella,
What a beaty!! The light is wonderful, the subject attractive and the reflection doubles the pleasure. Detail, color and light managemnent are all great. The WS is also great. Your note is very informative; it has really enlarged my understanding of history
HLJ, Pat

adores (15683) 2008-04-09 18:13

Hi Stella!
Very beautiful windmill! The composition is just great with that reflection on the water,especially with those golden lines. Colours are really good.Good to see the ruins of the other one in background.

argycon (2749) 2009-05-17 13:09

Hi Stella,
The windmill is beautiful and it comes with a superb reflection! Very nice colors!!
tfs
Kostas